Yes, you read that correctly: “Unexpectedly Daring Ones.” The Community of Pilgrims is comprised of an unexpectedly daring group of people, with the audacity to strike out and start something new—namely, a new Christian faith community—in one of the least religious cities in the USA: Portland, OR. We are either daft, faithful, or a mixture of both. But that is what the unexpected God in Christ brings to us daily: an opportunity to do something that seems daft to the world, but is faithful unto God. That’s, at least, what I’m drawing from this week’s Gospel reading from Luke (Luke 5:1-11). It is the story of these people who fish—namely Simon, James, and John—who have had no luck going fishing one day. Frustrated, with little to show from their efforts after fishing all night, Jesus (who is in the boat and just finished preaching to the crowd), instructs his doubtful, beleaguered disciples to go out into the deeper parts of the lake. There, where Jesus told them to go, they found so much fish that they needed other people who fish to help them with the catch, because their nets were stretching and tearing apart because of the amazing amount of fish they were hauling into their nets. Simon—the one who always seems to doubt first, and then believe—begs Jesus to leave him because of Simon’s shame and sense of disgrace. In that moment, maybe Jesus shot Simon a knowing wink and simply said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for from here on you will be catching people!” And while Simon probably continued to fish, he also became well-known for fishing for people, for followers, of the Pilgrim God. Heck: we, today, are part of Simon Peter’s catch. And in turn, we are called to reach out and share the good news with others about what God in Christ is doing in our world today as we strive for justice, practice loving kindness, in our humbling pilgrimage with God. Join us this week as we explore this story from Luke in relationship to our story of creating a new faith community, and be prepared to go to the “deep waters” of the City of Roses.

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On a separate note, we are in the news of the Presbytery of the Cascades. News of our being awarded an investment grant is in today’s Cascades Connections. Go to the end of the email, and there we are! Share the news with others, and invite them to join us some Sunday, and join us often!

About snow and Community of Pilgrims: I, Brett, will send out an email and FaceBook blast on Sunday late morning (11:00 am) if it looks like we are not meeting or meeting. Either way, be on the look-out for a posting on FaceBook or an email. Thanks!

* Regarding the t-shirts: Please pick up your t-shirt this Sunday, and bring cash or a check made out to Community of Pilgrims, in the amount of $8 for adult M, L, and XL, and youth; and $12 for adult 2XL. Thank you!

* We also have plenty of beautiful leather bracelets for each member of the community! Pick one up this Sunday!

* In the coming months, Pastor Chris and I will be quoting from and referencing sections from the book, Wisdom Distilled from the Dailyby Joan Chittister, a Benedictine monk, who, in this book, focuses on the nature of living life in an intentional Christian community, which is our aim as Community of Pilgrims. We can either order books for those interested and sending in a request for so-many copies, or feel free to order it or buy it from your favorite book distributor. Wisdom Distilled from the Daily, Joan Chittister, San Francisco: Harper One.

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Prayer Concerns and Celebrations

· Prayers for those who do not have a home and live on the city streets, starving, in the middle of this winter season;

· Prayers for those we know who are in the hospital or rehabilitations center and healing;

· Prayers for those who are addicted, abused, and lonely;

· Prayers for peace in the world, especially in the war-torn areas of Yemen and Syria;

· Prayers for those seeking asylum and sanctuary anywhere in the world;